1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to dispensing tape in general and in particular to a method and apparatus for dispensing non-adhesive tapes.
2. Description of Related Art
Pipes are often connected to each other by threaded ends. It is known that for such connections a threaded seal tape is typically used to seal the connection. A commonly used threaded seal tape is polytetrafluoroethylene tape or PTFE tape commonly known as plumbers tape or Teflon® tape. PTFE tape is typically sold in a roll having a hole through the middle. In use, the PTFE tape may be wrapped around the exposed end of the threads of a pipe before it is screwed into an adjoining connector or pipe. A typical method of wrapping PTFE tape is for the user to grip the roll of PTFE tape between their thumb and one of their fingers. The user may then apply frictional resistance to the unwinding of the tape by squeezing the roll of PTFE tape therebetween.
PTFE tape is known to have low friction for lubricating the connection between the pipes. PTFE tape also typically does not use an adhesive to secure it to the pipe, but rather while the PTFE tape is being wrapped around the pipe, tension is applied to the tape to pull the tape into the threads and plastically deforms the tape to the threads.
A common problem with PTFE tape is the fact that it lacks an adhesive. This may result in the tape freely unraveling from the roll if it is inadvertently released by the user. This may result in excessive amounts of tape unwound from the roll which may then become dirty or tangled. Such tangled portions of the tape are often discarded and therefore wasted.
An additional difficulty with PTFE tape is the fact that it is applied by the user applying a tension to the tape so as to deform the tape into the threads. Because PTFE tape has no adhesive and therefore no resistance to being freely unwound from the roll, the PTFE tape itself does not provide a tension to the tape to secure it to the threads. It is therefore required that the user apply an appropriate level of tension to the tape for application to the threads. Tension is typically applied by the user maintaining a frictional grip on the roll as the tape is unwound therefrom. The user may therefore control the amount of friction applied to the tape by controlling their grip on the roll. This may be difficult to accurately or consistently control in many situations or for people with less experience and practice.
It is also commonly difficult to find an end of a roll of PTFE tape. This is due to the PTFE tape being relatively soft so that the end may be prone to being compressed against the roll so as to compress the end therein. The difficulty in finding the end may be exacerbated or caused by another common difficulty of PTFE tape of losing the snap on cove. PTFE tape is commonly sold in a roll with a cover sized to snap over the roll and thereby protect the roll when not in use. As the cover is removed from the roll during use, it may be prone to loss thereby permitting the uncovered roll to be compressed by other objects within the tool box of the user between uses. An additional difficulty with existing PTFE tapes is that depending upon from which direction the finger is inserted through the center hole, the roll will rotate either in the same or opposite direction as the rotation about the pipe as the PTFE tape is applied thereto. This may cause the roll of PTFE tape to be rotated in a direction, during application of the tape to a pipe, in which the PTFE tape is wound onto the roll such that the roll is urged closer to the pipe. In other words, the rotation of the roll of PTFE tape around the pipe may cause the PTFE tape to be wound onto the roll instead of off which will make application of the tape more difficult.
Previous attempts to provide a method and apparatus for applying PTFE tape to pipe threading may be found in International Application No. PCT/CA2009/00436 to Wells, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.